Save NZ’s landline phones – action needed NOW

IMPORTANT UPDATE FROM WEBSITE EDITOR: If you are a Grey Power member there is still time to make a submission on this bill as members of this organisation have been given a extension until March 30. Please click HERE to learn more.

Introduction:

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It’s the number you dial in an emergency and for most New Zealanders it has been a reliable home phone that they have used if they have ever faced a medical emergency or needed to call the Fire Service or the police.

Most New Zealanders cannot remember ever having lived without a basic home phone, thanks to the reliable copper-based infrastructure that has been installed all around New Zealand over the course of many, many decades.

Now, a new bill threatens continuing access to a copper-based landline home phone and safe, low cost wired internet access for people living in many parts of New Zealand.

The “Telecommunications (New Regulatory Framework) Amendment Bill” could result in copper landline services being phased out in areas of New Zealand where fibre optic cables have been installed. If the bill is passed in its current form this bill it would deprive people of the basic home phone service and safe wired internet connection.

The entire bill may be read at this link:

The clause of the bill that proposes to deregulate the copper phone line infrastructure in parts of NZ where fibre optic infrastructure has been installed and could result in copper based infrastructure being phased out is below:

Here is a brief guide to how to make a submission on the bill:

If you are a Grey Power member you have an extension on the time you have to make a submission until March 30. Please click HERE for details

It is extremely important that as many people as possible express their opinions on the importance of maintaining landline phones.

Open a new document on your computer, or get some writing paper. Start your document with your name, “Telecommunications (New Regulatory Framework) Amendment Bill”, and “I oppose any change to NZ’s telecommunications regulations that could mean that people who live in areas where fibre optic infrastructure has been installed would lose access to a safe and reliable copper cable based landline phone line and internet access service” or similar words to this effect.

You can then write as little or as much as you want, sharing your views about why it is important for people to be able to have access to a copper phone line.

If you would support 30 year moratorium on the removal of copper landline infrastructure, please state this, in your submission.